Wine Tour – Tuscany and Umbria
Day 1
Arrival & rest at our hotel outside Rome, a country inn beautifully converted from a
farm near Trevignano, a charming lakeside town, popular among Italians for a Sunday
meal and summer vacations. Our type of hotel, is called agriturismo in Italian (a
combination of the words for agriculture & tourism) to reflect the rustic charm of
farms as tourist accommodation. Our agriturismo, a charmingly renovated farmhouse
& barn offers a warm, inviting sitting room with a large old-time fireplace & an equally
charming dining room. The wholesome Italian cooking include meats & cheese
produced right on the premises. Rooms are airy & comfortable with air-conditioning.
Our agriturismo is aptly located for nature walks, situated as it is near the rims of 2
volcanic craters, which today contain lakes, among the cleanest in Italy. Horseback
riding both in a corral or in the open countryside is offered, as is tennis & use of the
swimming pool. However, both lakes have beaches, if you prefer fresh water
swimming. Our agriturismo is also close to 2 lakeside towns of medieval flavor for
leisurely walks into the past.
Day 2
Today we depart from Trevignano for Orvieto by way of Montefiascone and a
stupendous view of Lake Bolsena, the largest volcanic lake in Italy. A short drive along
the lake takes us to the medieval town of the same name. We will savor the medieval
flavor of the town, as we stroll through the town to the castle, which houses a small,
but interesting archaeological museum, containing finds from prehistoric, Etruscan
and Roman settlements around the lake, some of which have been submerged by the
lake's rising waters.
A half-hour's drive brings us to Orvieto. We approach Orvieto from the west offering
us a stunning view of the city atop its high outcropping with sheer cliffs on all sides.
Orvieto is a gracious medieval town with a past reaching back to Etruscan times. It
was the Etruscan Velzna, called Volsinii by the Romans, before they destroyed it in the
3rd century B.C. Orvieto extends right to the edge of the plateau & the cliffs that
dominate the surrounding valleys on all sides. Light Lunch.
Of particular interest is the cathedral begun in 1290 following a miracle that occurred
in nearby Bolsena. In a side chapel we will admire the breathtaking frescoes painted
by Luca Signorelli of the Last Judgment, an exquisite work which provided the
inspiration for Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. This chapel has just
been re-opened to the public after a 9-year restoration of these frescoes.
Free time for shopping & individual sightseeing. Dinner at a local restaurant. Our twonight stay in Orvieto will be at an agriturismo located on a hill outside Orvieto and
built of stately Umbrian stone. The tree-shaded garden offers a superb view of the
Duomo of Orvieto in the distance rising tall above the rest of the town.
Day 3
Today we will make a visit to a pottery workshop to see the phases of pottery-making
& the various medieval and Renaissance motifs used in pottery decoration, which are
being revived after years of careful research. This will be followed by a tour of
"Underground Orvieto." Orvieto's table-like plateau, made of soft tuff stone is riddled
with underground chambers & drainage channels carved out by the Etruscans. Visit to
a vintner producing Orvieto Classico, a white wine that comes in 3 grades, from sweet
to dry. We shall tour the vineyard and wine cellar to see the wine-making process
from beginning to end
After lunch we shall walk through the old streets to the east end of town to a park
placed amidst the ruins of the medieval fortress, now a public park offering a stunning
view of the valley below. Next to the park is a deep well with double spiral ramp, built
by the Renaissance Pope Clement VII in 1527 to supply the city with water during a
siege he feared would be laid by the Holy Roman Emperor. The Emperor had just
sacked Rome and driven out the Pope, who then took refuge in Orvieto. A walk down
the ramp to the bottom 58-meters (over 190 feet) below illustrates how far below the
surface they had to dig to reach the water table. The well is equipped with 2 separate
spiral ramps, one going down and one going up to permit mules to transport water
without creating a traffic jam.
Just a short drive from the well is an Etruscan necropolis with a number of inscriptions
in the Etruscan language, identifying the names of the occupants the tombs. The rest
of the afternoon will be devoted to rest, shopping & individual sightseeing.
Day 4
Departure for Montalcino, a medieval town in located in the heart of the Tuscan winemaking country & known for its prestigious red wine, Brunello. On the way we shall
pay brief visits to several medieval borghi & fortresses. A brief visit to Radicofoni, &
the medieval fortress with its tall tower rising from the top of the steep conical hill
from which it looms over the medieval borgo which lies on the slopes below. The hill
towers over the surrounding countryside, and the tower is visible from 20 miles
around on a clear day. Closer to Montalcino we encounter the picturesque medieval
hamlets of Ripa d'Orcia, Vivo d'Orcia & Rocca d'Orcia. As their name implies, they are
all located in the valley o f the Orcia River, and are all very close to one another.
Arrival at Montalcino. Check in at our agriturismo. Free time for rest or a stroll about
town. Dinner at the agriturismo.
Day 5
Visit to the town of Montalcino, its rocca (medieval fortress) and lunch in the bar in
the rocca where we shall sip our drinks & bask in the medieval atmosphere to the
strains of the music of Vivaldi, courtesy of the fine taste of the owner-barman. Free
time to wander & shop. Light lunch.
Tour of the vineyard of the Fattoria Barbi, one of the well-known local vintners and a
sampling of their Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino wines. Free time in Montalcino and
at the inn before dinner. Dinner & evening of relaxation in the lounge of the inn.
Day 6
Departure for Castellina in Chianti to sample the famous Chianti wine where it is
produced. Within view of the spires of Siena, we shall make a brief stop at Cuna, a
fortified medieval farm, later turned into a hospital by the sisters of Santa Maria della
Scala, an order of Siennese nuns and at the tiny walled town of Monteriggioni. Tour of
vineyard and lunch accompanied by Chianti wine.
Visit after lunch to the castle of Brolio on the edge of Chianti, the well-known winemaking region. The castle is extraordinarily well preserved complete with towers &
battlements. Return to our inn. Free time, dinner and choice between seeing the
Rocca illuminated at night & an evening's relaxation in the inn.
Day 7
Visit to the Palazzo Pubblico, Siena's town hall for centuries, & a view from the top of
its 290-foot high tower, the Torre del Mangia, of all Siena laid out below. The Duomo
is a short walk away through streets lined with Siena's characteristically elegant
Gothic buildings. Lunch in the Campo, the square where the Palio, the 700-year old
bareback horse race still rouses the passions of the Siennese, not once, but on two
occasions during the summer.
Our brief optional sightseeing will be centered on the Pinacoteca, the painting gallery
which is home to the finest works of the Siennese school of medieval painting. Free
time for shopping & a late afternoon aperitif in Piazza del Campo. Return to
Montalcino for dinner & an evening of relaxation at our inn.
Day 8
Departure from Montalcino to return to Trevignano with leisurely tour of Pienza en
route. Pienza is a Renaissance town named after Pope Pius II, a native son, who,
through a major building program, gave the town its present monumental
Renaissance appearance. Lunch in Pienza. Late afternoon return to our agriturismo.
Day 9
Day of rest and shopping in downtown Rome.
Day 10
Return flight to the U.S.